Device for handling bricks.



R. U. PENPIELD. DEVICE FOR HANDLING BRICKS.

APPLIOATION FILED 00w. 9, 1908.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. C. PENPIELD.

DEVIGE FOR HANDLING BRICKS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, 190B.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

By {a ATTORNEY v UNITED STATES PAT NT F10.

nan/roan o. rnNrIELn, or new YORK, 1v. Y.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING BRICKS.

aeaeea.

Specification, of IettersQflatent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Zdpflication filed October 9, 1908. Serial No. 456,994.

tion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention refers to a new and useful device for handling bricks.Its principal object is to avoid the repeated manipulation ofthe bricksby hand over and over again, and, therefore, to save labor and reduceexpense.

The invention consists essentially in means whereby a stack of bricksbuilt up in suitable formation may be lifted bodily and transferred frompoint to point, as, for instance, from the brick machine to the kiln orelsewhere; and the invention also comprises numerous details andpeculiarities in the construction, combination and arrangementof partssubstantially as will be here inafter des ribed and claimed.

This machine provides another and diflerent means for what hasheretofore been known for carrying into effect a method covered byLetters Patent granted to l villiain H. Francis, No. 874,582, datedDecember 24,

1907, Improvement in the method of trans porting bricks. This methodconsists essentially in stacking up the bricks with uniform spacesbetween the unitsof the basic layer, so as to permit projectingarms toen:-

ter these spaces to carry the superposed load,

while the basic layer is itself picked up and carried along with thesuperposed load by the lateral pinching action of clamping de vices; andin said method either the lifting strain is applied at a point below thecenter of gravityof the bulk, but above the basic layer of the material,simultaneously with the application of a pinching strain "to the basiclayer, or else the application of the horizontal or lateral pinching orclamping strain to the basic layer exerts so strong a pressure on thelatter that in lifting it the superposed load is likewise lifted, theaction in this latter case being in efi'ect a single lifting strainwithout having the lifting arms perform any direct lifting action abovethe basic layer. The mechanism of the present invention, therefore,simply provides additional novel means for accomplishing the sameobject, through either the single clamping power or the combined strainsmentioned.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved brick handling machine. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview on an enlarged scale of two clamping members, one of which isstationary and the other movable, one belonging to one pair of clampsand the other to the next pair. Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view of theclamping mechanism at the bottom of the frame.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe difierent. figures of the drawings.

a Q The frame of my improved machine may vary within wide limits,provided only it has the necessary principal parts to enable it toperformits function of accommodating the mechanical features'of thedevice and permitting them to operate in the specified way. In thespecimen frame shown, there is a vertically-disposed bar 1 of suitablesize and strength, which is connected at its lower end to a horizontalmember 2 whose ends 3 are turned laterally at right-angles to. the maindirection of the member 2 so as to con device is placed alongside of astack of stitute a stiff rectangular frame at the base The upper end ofthe bricks, the laterally-turned upper end 4 of 1 the frame will besituated at a point over the top of the stack, while the projecting ends3 of the horizontal member 2 will lie alongside the base of the stackvertically below the laterally-turned upper part 4 Above the horizontalmember 2 is a movable horizontal frame 5 consisting of an upperhorizontal plate 6, a lower horizontal plate 7, and a verticalconnection 8 between them, said parts 6, 7 and 8 being made preferablyintegral with each other as a channel piece. This movable channel frameis arranged in connection with a series of vertical stems 9 passingloosely through the upper and lower plates 6 and 7. Each pin issurrounded by a spiral spring 10 which is tensioned against a regulatingnut 11 at the top just below the plate 6 and also against the plate 7 sothat the movable frame when lifted will carry with it the series ofvertical stems9, but with a yielding lift due to the interposed springs10, so that the lifting of the series of stems 9 takes place with acertain degree of elasticity which allows certain of the clampingdevices to operate in a compensatory way, providing for inequalities,etc., as will be presently explained. On the lower end of each of thestems 9, below the plate 7 of the channel piece is a block 12 whichenables the pin 9 to be effectively connected tothe movable clamp 13, asI shall more fully explain. This movable frame is supported by -means ofvertical bars 14, 14: connected together by a horizontal strut 15 whichis held in place by a guide strap 16 that is secured firmly to the faceof the central bar 1 of the main frame. Said strap 16 is of sufficientlength to allow the strut 15 to move up and down the necessary distanceduring the up and down movement of the channel frame. The lower ends ofthe bars 14: are bolted at 17 to the upper plate 6 of the channel frame.

Braces 18 are bolted both to the bars 1 1 and also the channel framenear the outer ends of the upper plate 6, as shown in Fig; 1.

The upper ends of the bars 14 are pivotedby means of which a-liftingcrane or other supporting means is applied to the machine for thepurpose of raising it together with the mass of brick which it isdesigned to carry. The pivoting of the lever 19 to the laterally-turnedend 4 of the main frame is accomplished by means of a suitable pivot pinor bolt 21,- while the pivoting of the upper ends of the bars 14 to thelever 19 is accomplished by means of a suitable pin or i bolt 22, seeFig. 2.

Secured to the horizontal member 2 of the base frame are a plurality ofequidistant relatively stationary plates 23 arranged to stand verticallyedgewise, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These plates 23 are spaced fromeach other, and from the right-angled ends 3 of the horizontal member 2a distance which will be greater than the thickness of a brick.Alongside of the relatively stationary plates 23 are arranged aplurality of equidistant movable plates 13 of a somewhat diflferentconstruction, but they are arranged to stand vertically 'edgewise and tobe moved relatively to the stationary plates 23. Thus I provide pairs ofplates, one member of each pair being relatively stationary, andthe'other being'relatively moveev,ee2

able. When the members of each pair are brought close together theclamping of the bricks is relieved, but when they are spread apart theaction results in tightly gripping the adjacent faces of the bricksbetween which these pairs of plates are arranged. In Fig. 3, thestationary plate 23 belongs to one pair, and the movable plate 13belongs to the next pair in the series.

Each of the stationary clamping plates 23 is preferably provided with ahorizontal bar 24 secured thereto near the upper edge, see Fig. 3. Thisban-has the function of a lifting bar when it rests beneath thesuperposed mass at the time that the clamping members are between thespaced units of the basic layer. Ido not desire to restrict myself tothe use of this lifting bar, for in most cases the probability is thatthe horizontal clamping action of the pairs of clamping plates upon thebasic layer will be sufiicient to lift the entire mass without employinglifting fingers, but should the latter be deemed desirable, I provide asimple and easy method of furnishing the lifting fingers by thusenlarging or broadening the upper edge of the stationary clamping plates23 throu h the addition of the lifting bar 24 as state Proceeding now tofurther describe the detailed construction of the stationary clampingplates 23 and the movable clamping plates 13, it will be noted that theplates 23 are provided at one end with a rightangled plate 25 having atone edge an oblique offset or angular incline 26 which provides avertically-inclined face, and alongside of this inclined face 26 is aguiding extension 27, which is parallel to but offset from the plate 25.The end of the movable clamping plate 13, nearest the aforesaid inclinedface 26 of the stationary plate 23, is provided with a right-angledplate 28 having an inclined edge 29. This inclined edge 29 of themovable plate 13 is designed to ride upon the inclined face 26 of saidadjacent stationary plate 23, when the members of a clamping pair arebeing spread apart to perform the clamping action, and after theclamping is finished, and it is desired to replace the parts in theiroriginal position where the members of the clamping pair will be closetogether, the said inclined edges by their engagement with each othercause said members to be brought into close association with each other;for, as the movable member 13 drops and the inclined edge 29 slips backdown the inclined surface 26; it is evident that the movable member 13will be brought closer into contact with the corresponding stationarymember 23 of the clampin air. The inclined surface 26 may,- there ore,be termed a replacing incline, for, in association with the e aaeee isready again to perform the clamping function when the spreadingoperation is per-' formed therewith. Further, one longitudin'al' side ofeach of the stationary'members 23, as also of each of the movablemembers 13,'is perfectly plain and smooth, this being the side next tothe brick with which it is tocome into contact, while the opposite sideof each of the clamping members 13 and 23 is provided with a certainnumber of wedge-shaped projections, those on the sta tionary members 23being inclined in the same direction as those on the adjacentmovablemembers 13, so that when the two mem-i bars .which are in contactwith each other are caused to move relatively, I they will be spreadapart. @n nearer the stationary members 23 are mdicated in the drawingsfour -wedge-shaped projections 30, and on each of the movable clampingplates 13 l have indicated four similar .Wedging projections 31. Thesewedging projections are placed thus in two horizontal lines. Ob-

viously, the two horizontal lines will be sufficient to clamp two rowsof brick, if the wedges are a suflicient distance'apart, but if desired,and they are placed close enough together, there may be two rowsofwedges .for't'he same row of brick. Details-of this kind will besubject to change to meet the exigencies of individual cases, and l'clo'not wish to be restricted to any particular 'number orarra-n'gementof the wedges. It is important, however, that the thin ends of plate;13will spread horizontally away from one stationary plate 23 at thistime,but to-- ward another on the opposite side of the intervening brick, andthiswill cause an efiicient clamping action a to take place against thesides of the adjacent brick, that is to say, the brick at the side ofthe movable clamping plate 13 and that at the side of the correspondingstationary clamping plate 23, said spreading action takingplace in thedirection shown by the arrows inFig. 4:.

lVlien each movable clamping plate 13 is in its lowermost position, 6.,that of close contact with the companion fixed plate 23, the inclinededge 29 reposes on the angular face 26 with the guide 27 alongside ofthe plate 28; and when the movable plate 13 is lifted, the contact ofthe edge 29 with the face 26 continues, while, at the same time,

will then be brought up ithe wedges 31 are co-acting with the wedges 30.Of course, the lifting of the movable plate 13 is only for a shortdistance, and only enough to enable the wedgesto spread the platesapart, so that the adjacentbricks may be tightly caught thereby, "-Whenthe movableplates 13 are releasedand are permitted to resume theirnormal place,-they obviously will drop or be forced down by the actionof the leverage mechanism, and at this time the inclined contactingfaces 29 and 26 will bring the movable plate 13, again into as closecontact as possible wit'h the companion fixed plate 23. 1

rick, or other suitable hoisting-mechanism,

caused to lay hold of the lifting-device, grappling the bail 20, andraising the device' after-the airs of clamping members'have Theoperation of the machine proceeds. as follows: As the bricks are hackedup, the lowermost tier or tiers will bespaced apart with uniformdistances between. The der-1 to the stack and:

first been inserted in the uniform spaces between the units of the basiclayer The lifting force applied to the bail 20, raises the movablechannel frame and the entire device. The lifting strain thus applied toraise the machine automatically operates the clamps, for as'themovablechannel frame is raised, its lower plate 7 will compress the 'springsl0to a greater or less extent, and

lift the stems 9 which are attached, as I l have shown, to the movableplates 13, "thereby lifting said plates and spreadingthelnaway fromtheir fixed companion plates 23, so as to e'fi'ecta clamping action onthe adjacent devices of the bricks. The springs 10, which are introducedin the lifting process, allow a yielding character to be imparted to themovement of the movable clamps so as to take up any inequalities in thespace between the bricks. In consequence, however, of the movement ofthe plates 13, the bricks of the lowermost tier or tiers will" all'befirmly clamped between a movable plate and a fixed plate, or, as at theends, between the movable plate and the rectangular arms "3 of thehorizontal member 2. After the plates .havebeen thus firmly clampedagainst the several bricks 'of the lowermost heror tiers, there will beno further movement of the movable members 13 with respect to the frame;but the entire device, with the stack of bricks thereon, will be liftedbodily and transferred to the kiln or other desired place. Thus it isseen that during this op.- eration, the entire weight of the stack isutilized in the clamping action. Of course,

in those cases where it is thought desirable to have a directvertically-acting lifting strain under the superposed mass to act inconjunction with the horizontal clamping strain, theiauxiliary bars 24at the top of ing-a vertical frame, and a series of pairs of the fixedclamps 23 will serve the'purpose of lifting fingers as I have alreadypointed out.

Many changes in the precise construction and arrangement of the variousparts may I be made without exceeding the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1.' A device for handling bricks, comprising a frame having pairs ofclamping members adapted to be inserted between adjacent bricks of astack, means for spreading said members apart, and wedging means forreturning said members to their normal position.

2. A device for handling bricks, comprising a frame having a clampingmechanism at the base, a wedging mechanism for opening the said clampingmechanism, and cooperating inclines for closing it.

3. A device for handling bricks, comprising a vertical frame havingpairs of clamping members adapted tobe inserted between adjacent bricksof a stack, means for spreading the members apart consisting of wedgedevices cooperating with each other, and

means for restoring the clamping members into close associationconsisting of cooperating inclined parts.

i l 4. A device for handling bricks, compris- A ing; a frame and aplurality of pairs of clamping members at the. base thereof, wedges onsaid clamping members cooperating with each other to spread themembersjapart to clamp the bricks, and inclines v for replacingtheclamping members in their closed position again.

' 5i A device for handling bricks, comprisclamping members adapted to beinserted between adjacent bricks of a stack, means I fortspreading theclamping members apart toclamp the bricks, and means forreplacing .theclamping members in close association, consisting of inclines on the twomembers cooperating with each other.

. 6. device for handling bricks, comprising pairs of clamping members,one member ofeach pair being fixedly mounted, and the other beingmovable relatively thereto,

means on the fixed and movable members for spreading them apart, andmeans on the fixed member for causing the adjacent movxfabl'e member tobe brought back into close association with the next fixed memberatively movable, a wedging mechanism for opening the clamping members,means for lifting the movable member, and means for restoring the saidmembers totheir normal closed position consisting essentially of aninclined surface on the stationary member and acooperating inclined parton the movable member. i j

9. A device for handling bricks, comprising a frame having a pluralityof spaced pairs of members adapted to be inserted between adjacentbricks of a stack, wedges on said members co-acting directly with eachother for spreading said members apart to,

clamp the bricks, and means for causing the action of each clamp tobe-elastic to provide.

for bricks of different thickness.

10. A device for handling bricks, compris ing a frame having a pluralityof pairs of members adapted 'to be inserted between admem ers apart toclamp the bricks and. means consisting of individual lifting springsinterposed in the train of the expanding devices for each clam ingdevice;

11. A device for "handling bric s, compris-- a frame havin pairs ofmembers a apted to be inserted bea plurality of spaced tween adjacentbricks of a stack, and means on the members operating in direct contactwith each other at the time the members are moved in the clampingoperation for spread ing said members apart to clamp the bricks,

together with elastic mechanism to, compen-j' sate for variations in thebricks and the spaces between them.

12. A machine for handlin bricks, comprising a vertically disposed ame,a later-. ally-extended arm at the top thereof, suspend-ing meansconnected to the outer end of said arm, clamping devices having di'rectly coacting wedges thereon and arranged at the bottom of the frame,and means for operating said clamping devices by the initial movement ofthe lifting strain, said means including individual elastic devices forthe clamping mechanism to compensate for variations in the thickness ofthe bricks and the width of the spaces between them.

13. A device for handling bricks, comprising a vertically-disposed framehaving a laterally-turned upper end, supporting means carried by theouter part of said u per end, laterally-extending clampin evices carriedby the lower end of said rame and consisting essentially of spaced pairsof 70 being relatively stationary and the other relv members adapted tobe inserted between adjacent bricks of a stack, said members havingdirectly co-acting wed s thereon, and means for operating said 0 empingdevices with an elastic effect which provides for variations in thethickness of the bricks and the width of the spaces between them.

RAYMOND C.-' PENFIELD.

Witnesses:

FRANK PAUL, C. B. SGHBOEDEB.

